Why bitter sweet? First as a tribute to two of Uruguay's most beloved palate pleasers. The bitter Mate which is enjoyed mostly as an afternoon beverage and shared with friends, and the sweet dulce de leche that is ubiquitous in nearly every dessert. Second, as a matter of simple fact. While living in Uruguay has been a treat, at times the food options have been limiting. But if there is a good food find out there, you can be sure I will tell you about it. Qué aproveche!

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Pan de Ciruela

At times, Uruguayan food plays with that balance of sweet and savory. When taken to extremes the result is almost unpalatable. For example, friends told us about the specialty "tarta de atún" that was served as a first course at the family Christmas dinner. It consisted of a sweet pie crust, a filling of canned tuna, and another sweet layer on top. I have seen this sort of creation in a grocery store downtown. What I thought was apple pie had a layer of sliced jam and cheese in the middle. There was also the ham and cheese tart with sliced canned pineapple and maraschino cherries.

However..there are those times when the sweet and savory combo is conducted very well and (in my opinion) Pan deCiruela is a great example. It is a loaf bread made of butter, milk, sugar, eggs, flour, and prunes. After it is baked, it is cooled and sliced and made into little ham and cheese sandwiches and served with coffee or tea. The loaf above is from my own oven, and the sandwiches are the "vegetarian version" ( I ran out of ham in the house!)

At first I thought it would be such an odd combination. I tried to picture cutting up my mom's banana bread and layering turkey and provolone inside. But these delightful little sandwiches I enjoy time and time again at my local tetería, and they were kind enough to give me the recipe.

About Me

My nickname for the year is Gaucha Guapa. I am a Californian-native living in Montevideo, Uruguay for one year with my wonderful husband. Among adventures of traveling, learning to speak Spanish, and meeting foreigners and expats, I have discovered this new found hobby and passion of writing. Mostly writing about food and travel, but with some other stories mixed in, the blogs are meant to be fun and informative. I hope you enjoy learning a bit more about South America and the adventures it holds. Leave a comment or send an email...I love hearing from readers!